My World, My Heart

The My World, My Heart Study (MWMH) aims to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the emergence of socioeconomic disparities in cardiovascular heart disease (CHD) risk. To that end, we focus on an economically diverse sample of youth, and investigate disparities at multiple levels in multiple systems (immunologic, neural, and psychosocial).

The study has the following objectives:

To evaluate how socioeconomic status (SES) influences maturation of the inflammatory response, and pinpoint disparities at the genomic, cellular and systemic level.

To determine how SES influences maturation of the brain’s corticolimbic and corticostriatal circuitries, which are important in threat perception, self regulation, and other processes relevant to maintaining a heart healthy lifestyle.

To identify psychosocial dimensions and experiences, such as having positive social influences, that may shift low-SES youth off CHD risk pathways.

We are currently recruiting healthy 8th graders and their parents for this study. For more information, please contact us at mwmh@northwestern.edu or visit the MWMH Website.